Gaseous electric discharge device



Nav.. s, 193s. 'Gp @AIDES 2,135,701

GAsEoUs ELEcTRIc DISCHARGE DEVICE original Filed oct. A 1955 INVENTR BY Wan/76,49%

ATTORNEY and mercury vapor,

" muren Georg Gaidies, or to General STATES Pari-1151i"v OFFICE;

2,135,701 CAsEoUs ELECTRIC DISCHARGE nevica o! New York Application Gctobe Renewed October bei 9, 1934 3 Claims. (Ci. irc- 122) The present invention relates to gaseous electric discharge devices generally and more particularly the invention relates to such devices of the cathode glow type.

Fluorescent materials applied to the inner wall ofthe lamp container or on other surfaces in the lamp container are useful in complementing and supplementing the `visible light emitted by the cathode glow discharge and, when desired, the only visible light emitted"by the lamp is that from the uorescent material. The

manufacture of such lamps is greatly simpliiied by applying the uorescent material to the cathode but I have observed that the light emitted by the iiuoresoent material onthe cathode rapidly diminishes during the operation of the lamp.

The object of the present vide a cathode glow lamp invention is to pro having iiuorescent material on the cathode thereof, which material retains its light operating life of the device.

and advantages attaching to use and operation will be skilled in the art from the description.

I have discovered emitting power during a long Still further objects the device and to its apparent to those following particular that the fluorescent material on the cathode retains its light emitting power substantially undiminished when a material having high electron barium oxide, is applied to emissivity, such as the surface of the cathode. Such material reduces the voltage drop at the cathode and, of course, the ionic bombardment of the cathode.

The fluorescent material applied to the cathode is thus not subjected to an intense ionic bombardment and retains its iiuorescent quality for a long useful operating life of the lamp.

In the drawing accompanying and forming embodiment of the front elevational, partly Referring to the drawing the cathodejglow lamp comprises a container trodesl 3 and t sealed therein i having mesh elec-l and a base 2 attached thereto. Said container i has a gaseous atmosphere therein, such as light during the operation leads 5 and t are connected a mixture of argon which emits ultra-violet oi theflamp. Current to said `electrodes 3 and l respectively. Said electrodes t and 't are supported by said leads 5 and 6 and by ports l and t, respectively. Said electrodes 3 and 4 the supconsist of wire net which is coated with a material having high electron emissivity, uorescent material, such as such as barlumoxide, and a zinc silicate. While then applying a thin, light Berlin-Pankow, Germany, assign-v Electric Company, a corporation I prefer to mix these materials together and apply the mixture tothe surface of the elec trodes 3 and t, good results can be obtained byy first applying a coating of the iiuorescent material to the surfaceof the electrodes 3 and i and 5 transmitting coating of the electron emittingmaterial to the iiuorescent coating. During the operation of the lamp the fluorescent material transforms the-mitraviolet light emittedby the cathode glow dis-a 10 charge into visible light.

. When the above described lamp is operated on alternating current the electrodes ii and [i act* alternately as anode and as cathode, when the lamp is operated on direct current one o-the l5 electrodes 3 or i acts as the cathode and the other as anode.

While I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features of the invention, it will be'understood 20 that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and `in its use and operation may be made by those sldlled in the art without departing from the broadspirit and scope o'i the in 25 vention, for example, other types of electrodes. such as electrodes having plane surfaces are used, when desired. v

What I claim asv new l'and desire to secure by f Letters Patent of the United States, is 30 1. Agaseous-electric discharge lamp compris-` ing a container, electrodes sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere capable of emitting ultra-violet. light when excited by an electric discharge between said electrodes, and a coating on one o 35 said electrodes, said Coating comprising a terial having high electron emissivity characteristics and another material having uorescent properties..

2. A cathode glow lamp comprising a contain 4o er, electrodes sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere capable of emitting ultraviolet light when excited by an electric discharge between said electrodes, and a coating of high electron emissive material and fluorescent material on one 45 of said electrodes, said materials being int ly -mixed in said coating. 3. A cathode glow'lamp comprising a container, electrodes sealedtherein, a gaseous atmosphere capable of emitting ultra-violetlight when 5o excited by an electric discharge between said electrodes, and a coating of high electron emissive material and a coating of iiuorcent mate' rial onone of saidelectrodes, saidv iiuorescent coating being interposed between said emissive 55 coating and said electrode. GEORG GAIDIES. 

